The sky was still dark when Kalestra awoke. She laid still for a brief second, her mind wondering over the tasks she had to do for the day. She quietly stood, careful not to wake her sleeping sisters, Devetera and  Aneksi. Their tribe was the most advanced of all the Takreni nomadic tribes. They had specific locations throughout Lora Morasa and Lora Takren where they built small villages to live in each year. There were three such villages, each many days apart, where the tribe spent most of their seasons. 
The villages had farms which grew plants during the season when the tribe lived there. Each family's homes in each village were identical. 
Since their father was Chief, their homes were spacious two-stories with airy hallways, large kitchens, storage rooms, a large meeting room, and three wings. The inside walls were smooth and painted white. Soft, cotton curtains hung in the large windows (in the colder climates the curtains were heavier) and bright, hand-woven rugs were in every room and hallway. The 
houses themselves were separated into two wings, the men's wing and the women's wing. 
The men's wing was larger, with three bedrooms and a large meeting room. Their father slept alone, except for when he called for his wife, in the largest bedroom. It was decorated to his liking with colorful rugs, curtains, and things. The three brothers who were unmarried or too young to marry lived in one room near their father's and grandfather's rooms. 
Mentor, the oldest brother, had added onto the main houses his own separate wing five years ago, when he married. His wings were not actually attached to the main houses, but had covered walkways leading to them. They were quite large with their own kitchens and two small wings. Now both Mentor and Gandolf lived there with their wives and children, each owning three rooms in one of the two wings. Their 'wing', though smaller than the men's wing on the main house, had enough room around it to expand when Demetrius and the others were married if they chose to stay with the family. 
The women's wing was smaller and had only two rooms, one for Kalestra and her sisters, and one for their mother. It had a courtyard separate from the main one, which was blocked off by a tall wall on all sides. All the women's bathing and washing, everything was done in the small yard so that men of the 
other families could not see them. It was not appropriate for Kalestra, her sisters, or her mother to leave the women's wing unless sent for, needed to cook, or when the Takreni tribe moved on to another location. 
Kalestra reached the bathing pool in the corner of the secluded courtyard and stripped off her clothes. She bathed and used the soft sand of the banks to scrub her body and hair clean. Then she swam about to wash off the sand. When she was finished, she dressed quickly in her buckskin pants and then pulled the traditional oteni garment of Takreni women over them. The oteni is a long, slender dress that is made of sturdy cotton and doesn't 
rip easily. Hers was dark green and had a leather sash around the waist and a green veil worn to cover the head. 
Aneksi and Devetera were awake when Kalestra returned to their room. The two younger girls went down to the pool to bathe while Kalestra slipped into the kitchen to start breakfast for her three brothers. The firepit in the kitchen was large and had a chimney. Kalestra took flint and an arrowhead and smashed them together to get a spark. The spark ignited the dried grasses and soon a fire was blazing. 
With practiced experience, Kalestra boiled water in a clay pot over the fire. She added the leftover meat from the night before and then bits of vegetables. The stew was nearly finished when Devetera returned from their room. She was dressed in a light blue oteni, its veil drapped over her soft brown hair. 
"Where is Aneksi?" Kalestra asked quietly as she stirred the stew. 
"She went into the plains..." Devetera whispered back. The two older sisters remained quiet as they finished the morning meal. They knew it was against the rules of the house for them to leave the women's wing, but Aneksi was a wild girl and dared anything. Her sisters would always cover for her and her escapes would go unnoticed by their stern father...if she got back in time for breakfast. 
Soon after, Demetrius entered the large kitchen. He was fully dressed in the buckskin pants and vest of the Takreni warriors. Over his shoulder was his quiver and bow. He sat down on a rug by the eating table and watched his twin sister, Kalestra. 
"I am going with Mentor and Gandolf on a scouting party today." Demetrius spoke in his soft, even voice. His dark hair fell around his ears and framed his slender face and dark eyes. Kalestra glanced up at him and then snapped at Devetera. 
"Bring a pack," Kalestra ordered. Devetera disappeared into the adjacent storage room and returned with a leather bag. Kalestra rolled cooked meat in bits of cloth and placed them in the bag. Devetera filled up a canteen with fresh water and place it, too, in the bag. 
Demetrius nodded and shouldered the pack. He left in the same silence in which he had entered. Devetera began pouring the stew into clay bowls for their two other brothers when they got up. Kalestra shook her head at her twin, then went back to cooking. 
Their mother walked into the kitchen, pinning her maroon veil to her dark hair. Kalestra, the oldest daughter, looked almost identical to her mother. Both had slender figures, dark hair, dark eyes, and strong wills. Nestora was sold to Hophetut at age 15 to be his wife and had many children for him, including five sons. However, having eight children had not affected her figure and she was just as thin as she had been on their marriage day. 
"I am worried for Demetrius, Mother," Kalestra told her immediately. Nestora smiled. 
"Do not be, he will find a wife soon." Nestora reached for a tray and piled it high with the best of the foods. "Another tribe has camped close by. Mentor and Gandolf are taking Demetrius to visit them. If a suitable girl can be found among them, she will be bought as his wife." 
Devetera shuddered involuntarily. She was beautiful and had a small, delicate build. She was compassionate and graceful, much sought after by many warriors. She didn't like the idea of buying a wife and she dreaded the day when their father, Chief Hophetut, would agree to a price. She glanced at Kalestra, tall and beautiful. She was 17 years old and still unmarried. It was the custom of the Chief to marry his daughters off in order 
of age, and so far he hadn't agreed to a price for Kalestra. But once she was married off, Devetera would be next.